Blossom, Inc. received the following information from its pension plan trustee concerning the operation of the company's defined$-$

benefit pension plan for the year ended December $31,2026$:

The service cost component of pension expense for $2026$ is $$850000$ and the amortization of prior service cost due to an increase in

benefits is $$90000.$ The settlement rate is $11\%.$ Assuming that the actual return equals the expected return on plan assets, what is the

amount of pension expense for $2026?$

$$940000$

$$1100000$

$$1559000$

$$1699000$